Uneven XC champs plus Bobby Rea Senior XC
Sat 5 November 2011--admin
Barnetts Demense was the venue today for the NI and Ulster uneven age-group cross-country championships, plus the senior Bobby Rea races. Conditions were bright and dry but it was very muddy and soft underfoot on the vast majority of the mainly flat but twisty course. There were many good performances including a number of medallists from the City of Lisburn athletes who were in action, with many securing qualifying places for the All-Ireland uneven championships at the Curragh in Co. Kildare on 11 December.
First up were the U11 girls who raced over 1.2k. Olivia Neill had a fantastic run for 7th place and an All-Ireland qualifying spot. Rebeccca Wallace was next home in 22nd with Olivia Savage 34th after being spiked at the start. Olivia Neill and Rebecca were scorers in the Antrim team who took silver, also qualifying for the All-Irelands.
The U13 races were over 2k. In the girls’ race Rebekah Douglas was close to withdrawing after a stomach complaint in the previous fortnight but had a strong run despite this to finish third – a great result under the circumstances. Kate Gourley wasn’t far behind in 7th with another year in this age-group. 72 ran in this race with Rebekah and Kate both scoring in the Co Antrim team which won silver. In the boys’ race Matthew Neill was 13th but lost at least four places after a slip in the very muddy run-in but had the consolation of being a scoring member of the Co. Antrim team which took bronze.
Under 15 athletes raced over 3k. In the girls’ event, Zoe Carruthers delivered another fine performance on the mud for 4th place with Madison Bowyer in 8th. Natalie Fair was in 44th with Lucy Smyth 47th. This saw the girls tie for 3rd place with Beechmount harriers in the team event. Jonny Whan placed 2nd in the boys’ race in what was the best individual performance by a Lisburn athlete today. Tom Baird was a good 5th with Enda Kelly-McCann 33rd. Jonny and Tom both scored for the winning Co. Antrim team.
Rebecca Harvey was 12th in her U17 race over 4k, just securing her All-Ireland spot with a strong finish and also contributing to team gold for Co Antrim.
At U19 level, also over 4k, an off-colour Courtney Sloan was 13th but she scored in the Antrim team which took gold.
The programme also included the Bobby Rea Memorial Open Senior races, which was the first event in the new Athletics NI cross-country league. As a result there were large and high quality fields in both the mens and womens races, with Lisburn athletes competing well. In the mens’ 8k event Michael Dobbs was 64th in 30:51, Declan Morgan 72nd in 31:48 and Colin Clear 79th in 34:53.
The womens’ team of Judith Lowry, Lynn Lyness and Heather McLarnon had another successful outing, securing 2nd place in the ladies’ team event behind North Down AC. Judith was first home of the Lisburn squad in 4th place, with Lynn 9th and Heather 12th. This continued a great run of recent team outings for the Lisburn senior girls who are enjoying their racing these days.